Do International Students Get To Do Research??

[dyinforMD]

Because all the web sites I saw say that students need to have US Citizenship.

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[PistolPete]

Are you referring to summer research positions as an undergrad? If so, I'm pretty sure no SURF program will take you if you are not a permanent resident, unfortunately. These are the ones that pay well. However, there are other programs out there that WILL take international students on an F-1 visa for the summer, but you just have to do the research (and they tend to pay less than the SURF programs). It's time consuming, but it's worth it. I found several a couple years back. I ended up doing my summer research fellowship at the Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, if that helps at all. Look around, and I'm sure you can find more.

 

[dyinforMD]

Are you referring to summer research positions as an undergrad? If so, I'm pretty sure no SURF program will take you if you are not a permanent resident, unfortunately. These are the ones that pay well. However, there are other programs out there that WILL take international students on an F-1 visa for the summer, but you just have to do the research (and they tend to pay less than the SURF programs). It's time consuming, but it's worth it. I found several a couple years back. I ended up doing my summer research fellowship at the Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, if that helps at all. Look around, and I'm sure you can find more.

Hey thanks for the reply. Are u an international student too?
I don't mind about the money.

I just want to know if we are allowed to do summer research at universities even if they dont pay you.

 

[Mr hawkings]

Because all the web sites I saw say that students need to have US Citizenship.

only work on campus (mostly unpaid volunteer research).

 

[Brown8472]

International students do research all the time. As a matter of fact, at my college, a full-year of research and a thesis is required for graduation whether you are an intl. student or not. Anyway, your best chance to lend one is at your college or univ. Talk to your profs. and see ask them what they are working on. Present a plan about what you would like to research in the lab or if they have any ideas and start gathering all your clinks for the many sleepless nights.

 

[Mr hawkings]

Hey thanks for the reply. Are u an international student too?
I don't mind about the money.

I just want to know if we are allowed to do summer research at universities even if they dont pay you.

You are allowed to do it but if it at another site other than your school, you must use your OPT time alloted to you if you've not used it up already. the only problem is that if you end up finishing med school and still dont have a green card, you will not have any OPT time left to use for residency so your only option would be to go to a program that is willing and has the resources to apply for a work visa for you.

Back to research:

For a short period (after 9-11) we technically not allowed to do certain types of research and there was a list of substances we were not allowed to come into contact with. Fortunately, this was was communicted to most schools so it was never enforced. They have since then come to their senses.

 

[PistolPete]

I guess I should clarify my post: I'm an international student and I did research at my university during the year for credit, and over the summer for $$. A lot of students do this and it isn't a problem. So, in response to the OP, yes you can do research at a university, even if you are not paid.

However, you need to apply for either OPT or CPT through your international student's office if you want to do research off-campus. When I did research at another school, I had to use my 2.5 months of OPT time. The good thing about this is that you get 12 months of OPT time per degree. So I got 12 months for my bachelor's degree (I only ended up using 2.5 months), and then I'll get another 12 months when I enroll in medical school (the other 9.5 months cannot carry over). So I will use these 12 months of OPT for my internship year, then get either an H1B (hopefully) or J-1 for residency.

 

[coralfangs]

are you folks Canadian or Mexican?
if so, why not just use TN for the summers and save your OPT?

 

[PistolPete]

I believe TN are only for professionals. Even if not, it's a distinct visa. I don't think you can be on F-1 (student) during the year, TN in summer, then back to F-1.

 

[Mr hawkings]

Just get married and apply for the damn green card. F1 is a pain in the ***, especially as a med student.

 

[Fay]

Just get married and apply for the damn green card. F1 is a pain in the ***, especially as a med student.

Is it "pain in the ***" in med school as well? or just hard to get in? what restrictions are there in med school for international students (besides funding issues)? It's good to know before I tried too hard to get myself in.

By the way, I think "get married" is a hard thing to do too. It'll be great if a US citizen will just marry me.

 

[dyinforMD]

Are there any restrictions in volunteering and shadowing for international students?

 

[DoctorPhud]

Are there any restrictions in volunteering and shadowing for international students?

Nope... You should be fine.

W.r.t. Research Restrictions:

Most of the limits on international students doing research, job-wise, are due to those projects touching on anything national security-related. Citizens can apply, but possibly not even people in green cards. I could be wrong, as I did get background checked *3 times* by the FBI before I got my green card, so that might do.

Understandably, they would rather not have unchecked foreign student types arsing around in a lab with nasty chemicals/pathogens.

I opted for plan B... I have a PhD, so I just shopped around the local hospitals and academic institutions for projects. Everyone was eager to have the collaboration...

 

[PistolPete]

Is it "pain in the ***" in med school as well? or just hard to get in? what restrictions are there in med school for international students (besides funding issues)? It's good to know before I tried too hard to get myself in.

By the way, I think "get married" is a hard thing to do too. It'll be great if a US citizen will just marry me.

I don't see why an F-1 in med school is any more annoying than in undergrad. It's obviously extremely hard for international students to get in (many schools don't take any internationals, and those that do, only take about 2-3 per class). The big issue is applying for residency: if you need a visa, then you have to be all that more competitive, because the residency program doesn't want to deal with any more paperwork than it has to (one of the reasons why there are so many J-1's and a lot less H1-B's).

The national security issue thing is true. If you are of Chinese origin, and have a green card (or even citizenship), some defense projects may be totally off-limits for fear of spying. That's understandable, but I doubt it'll have much impact on international pre-meds in this forum.

 

[dyinforMD]

So once I finish med school, I can't start residency immediately?
I will have to change my visa to J-1 or H-1B right?
Is it hard for international students who studied in US med schools to get residency?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Mr hawkings]

I don't see why an F-1 in med school is any more annoying than in undergrad. It's obviously extremely hard for international students to get in (many schools don't take any internationals, and those that do, only take about 2-3 per class). The big issue is applying for residency: if you need a visa, then you have to be all that more competitive, because the residency program doesn't want to deal with any more paperwork than it has to (one of the reasons why there are so many J-1's and a lot less H1-B's).

The national security issue thing is true. If you are of Chinese origin, and have a green card (or even citizenship), some defense projects may be totally off-limits for fear of spying. That's understandable, but I doubt it'll have much impact on international pre-meds in this forum.

Funding is the biggest problem an F1 student faces in med school. Most schools will require you to prove a source of funding before they even consider you. Once you are there, you have to make sure that you have enough private loans to cover your education. These loans require a co-signer who is a citizen or greencard holder with good credit.
So you better hope your friend and family in the states believe in you enough to co-sign a 160k loan for you to finish med school.

As to the residency question, some programs will apply for an H1 on your behalf but these are usually programs in the deep south and midwest where there is a lot of efflux of MDs to more "attractive" areas. So if you dont mind doing residency in Littlerock, getting a spot would not be a problem. The more competetive spots will be a bigger issue. Why would they go out of their way to file all these crazy immigration papers for 1 candidate if they have a pool of hundreds to pick from who have similar board scores without the added baggage.

 

[Mr hawkings]

So once I finish med school, I can't start residency immediately?
I will have to change my visa to J-1 or H-1B right?
Is it hard for international students who studied in US med schools to get residency?

Sorry for all the questions.

yes you can start emmediately and yes you will have to change status or use OPT if you have it available.

Once again, Go fall in love (or not) and Get married . I know this sounds terrible but trust me, its worth it.

 

[Altesse]

Are you referring to summer research positions as an undergrad? If so, I'm pretty sure no SURF program will take you if you are not a permanent resident, unfortunately. These are the ones that pay well. However, there are other programs out there that WILL take international students on an F-1 visa for the summer, but you just have to do the research (and they tend to pay less than the SURF programs). It's time consuming, but it's worth it. I found several a couple years back. I ended up doing my summer research fellowship at the Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, if that helps at all. Look around, and I'm sure you can find more.

Mayo' SURF used to take international students. I am not sure if they still do but it's great research, pays very well and the experience is awesome. Check out their website, I did it back in 1999. I also know that Baylor college of medicine used to accept international students.

 

[PistolPete]

Why would they go out of their way to file all these crazy immigration papers for 1 candidate if they have a pool of hundreds to pick from who have similar board scores without the added baggage.

They wouldn't, in general. That's why international students have to be above average and attractive enough for programs to do so. If they want you bad enough, they'll do it (it has been done before). Many residency programs say "only J-1" for international medical graduates. Canadians and other graduates from US med schools are usually treated better and programs are willing to sponsor H1-B's for these applicants.

I agree that getting a green card is the way to go, but this is not easy. Not everyone wants to get married while in med school.

 

[BoilerWolverine]

Probably not on anthrax.